Overheating of power lines can be dangerous for a number of reasons. First and foremost, overheated lines can cause fires, both on the line itself as well as within surrounding environments, including equipment, housings, fixtures, buildings, and the like. Further, the heat from the overheating itself can cause damage to the lines and equipment even absent an actual fire, requiring expensive repairs and disruptive down time of associated power connections.
Powerlines may extend considerable distances, and at certain sections may be routed through various combustible materials. For example, within a facility, powerlines may enter and crisscross the facility within walls and alongside equipment, conducting heat throughout. While some powerlines are protected with insulation, as the temperature of a powerline increases, the insulation may become irreparably damaged. This typically happens when a plastic insulating layer surrounding the conducting wire of the powerline breaks down and becomes brittle. In some cases a breakdown of insulation is invisible and cannot be easily detected. For many common materials, this breakdown change occurs around 70° C. Heat damage and fire often result from such a breakdown.
Fire and smoke detectors are known tools used to provide an alert when the presence of smoke or flames are identified. However, both devices are limited in providing detection that is at a relatively late stage in an emergency situation, namely after actual smoke or fire has been produced, when often significant damage has already occurred. This is particularly true with damages due to compromised powerlines, as these may be hidden from view for extended periods of time prior to being detected. Even with fire and smoke detectors, it can be difficult to detect a fire that is developing within isolated conduits of powerlines, and even more difficult to create an alert warning of a potential fire situation that has not yet occurred. A simple and direct measurement of the temperature of a powerline, for example by using an attached thermocouple, is often not effective, as the powerlines naturally and safely heat up with increased current flowing therethrough, so long as the temperature is within safe limits, making it difficult to determine a potential dangerous situation. Additionally, uneven distribution of heat, based on powerline surroundings, can pose a challenge to the accuracy of such measurements.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a solution that would overcome the challenges noted above.